Miraculous Hat-Trick
Fairview 22nd October: The faster of the two 1000m events on the poly track on Monday was the novice plate won by the easy to back SEATTLE OAK. Allowed to ease right out to 8/1 from 9/2 in the betting market, the Sail From Seattle mare led throughout. She was always in command and easily accounted for the well-supported favourite CALLA LILLY by three and three quarters.
The MR64 Handicap over 1100m was comparatively the second fastest race on the card and here it was nice to see FAIRYINTHEMIST back in the winner’s enclosure. Positioned in midfield for most of the journey, Alan Greeff’s charge ran on best of all at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride to deny her lesser fancied stable companion AL’S BELLS.
The MR59 Handicap over 1600m was comparatively the fastest of the four races around the turn and here we saw a comfortable victory for the bottom weight GIFT OF GOLD. Freely available at 13/1 on the off, the 8yo Monsang mare was always in touch with the leaders. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 100m marker and won going away by a length and a half.
Titbits
The former KZN campaigner MAKING MIRACLES completed a smart hat-trick when winning the afternoon’s feature event, a conditions plate, going away.
Confidence The Key
Durbanville 23rd October: Three of the eight races at the country course on Tuesday were staged over 1400m and stopping the clock in the fastest of these was the Vaughan Marshall trained ZEB. The small field of seven was always closely grouped and going the 300m the race looked wide open. The son of Pathfork ran on stoutly from there onwards and with the rest well beaten in the end, he won a thrilling tussle with the 3yo PROVOCATEUR by a short head.
They also ran three races over 2000m and by far the fastest of these was the bill topping MR96 Handicap won by KAMPALA CAMPARI. Taken straight to the front by Bernard Fayd’Herbe, the top weight was allowed to dictate matters throughout. He kept on strongly in the home straight and won well by two and a quarter from OLLIVANDER.
A maiden plate over 1250m had opened up proceedings and here we saw a smart performance from the Brett Crawford trained HERO’S DAUGHTER. Drawn wide, the Trippi filly raced in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. She ran on best of all in the straight and comfortably accounted for the more fancied TRAP QUEEN by two after striking the front close home. Third placed PRINCESS PENELOPE also ran on well from off the pace in this race.
Titbits
Trying the distance for the first time, SAILING LIZARD won the maiden plate over 2000m going away.
Workrider’s Day
Vaal 23rd October: The faster of the two 1000m maiden plates that got the work rider’s meeting underway was the girl’s affair won by the well-supported newcomer ALL AT ONCE. Backed into favouritism at the track, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge raced in midfield during the early part of the race. She ran on best of all from half way and won with authority by a length and a half.
The girls were also the quickest in the two 1400m maiden plates that followed, and here the Sean Tarry trained newcomer CORDILLERA got off the mark. Not the quickest into stride after being a little troublesome at the start, the daughter of Skitt Skizzle raced sixth of the nine early on. She ran on strongly over the final 600m and won well by two and a quarter from the 5/4 favourite PINK.
Marginally the faster of the two 1600m maiden plates was the boy’s affair won by TO THE REGIMENT. Easy to back at 7/1 in what looked to be a very open contest, Scott Kenny’s charge raced seventh of the nine for most of the trip. He ran on well when the race developed into a sprint 400m out, and won comfortably by two and a quarter from the unfancied CONNECT (came from the rear).
Titbits
The best bet on the card for most, IRISH WONDER GIRL made up many lengths from the rear when getting up late to win the girl’s division of the maiden plate over 1800m going away.
Plenty Of Improvement
Greyville 24th October: Wednesday’s action took place on the turf where the easiest victory in terms of distance was that recorded by EXCLUSIVE QUANTITY when getting off the mark in the opening maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1200m.Taken straight to the front by Brandon Lerena, Tony Rivalland’s charge was always clear. He quickened well at the top of the straight and despite the efforts of the running on ROCKET FIRE, he cruised in by four and three quarters.
The pinnacle stakes won by ROYAL FROST was by far the faster of the two 1400m races on the card. A little slow into stride when the gates opened, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced in the rear during the early part of the race. The eight runners were always very tightly bunched though and when the race developed into a sprint early in the straight, she finished best of all.
In terms of prize money the pinnacle stakes over 2400m jointly topped the bill and here TOP CLASSMAN registered his fourth career victory. Easy to back at 113/20 on the off, Frank Robinson’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m pole and comfortably accounted for the staying on pacemaker SILVER ROSE.
Titbits
SECOND TO NONE showed good improvement when getting out of the maidens in her seasonal debut over 1400m.
JET STREAM had the rest some ten lengths adrift when getting the better of ALL ABOARD in the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 2000m.
Moving Forward
Vaal 25th October: Racing returned to the Vaal’s inside track on Thursday where victory in the fastest of the four 1400m races, a MR80 Handicap, went to the progressive LONE SURVIVOR. A winner of two from four coming into the race, Scott Kenny’s charge raced up with the pace in a very tightly bunched field throughout. He began to assert his authority going through the 300m and won going away from the always handy CHAPEL JIVE.
The MR72 Handicap was by far the faster of the two 1600m races on the card and here we saw a smart front running performance from the 4yo GREENWOOD DRIVE. Thought good enough to contest the Gr1 SA Derby back in May, the son of Lope De Vega set a brisk pace. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and won well by a length from the improving RAGOON.
The only other distance to stage more than one race was 2400m where quickest home was Sporting Post’s Top Bet at the meeting GOEDE HOOP. Freely available at 47/20 on the off, this progressive daughter of Byword was content to sit ninth of the eleven for most of the journey. She began to take closer order going through the 600m and won going away by two and three quarters after striking the front 300m later.
Titibits
After finishing a distant last on debut, FACE THE FIRE showed considerable improvement when winning the boy’s division of the maiden 1400m with authority.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (1) Countess Cantabria 7
Race 2: (5) In The Navy 14 (nb)
Race 3: (6) Scribo 48
Race 4: (1) Jika 41 (NAP*)
Race 5: (2) Zanzibar Beat 36
Race 6: (6) Perfect Peace 30
Race 7: (2) Tubular Bell 28
Race 8: (9) Lateral’s Flash 41
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Fives Wild 12
Race 2: (4) All Aboard 18 (NAP*)
Race 3: (8) Forceful Rush 42
Race 4: (3) Fonteyn 3
Race 5: (10) Regent Seven 53
Race 6: (10) Rebel Circus 36
Race 7: (9) Archilles 50
Race 8: (10) Rani 46
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (9) Odd Rob 84
Race 2: (4) Turf Master 2
Race 3: (3) Against The Grain 34
Race 4: (1) Chimichuri Run 63
Race 5: (12) Railtrip 36
Race 6: (5) Running Brave 43
Race 7: (5) Bulleting Home 104
Race 8: (1) Rebel’s Champ 91
Race 9: (4) Sylvan On Fire 82
Race 10: (1) Rhyme Or Reason 12
Race 11: (3) French Navy 87
Race 12: (8) Dan The Lad 71
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) Straw Rum 8
Race 2: (6) Gimmetherain 2 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Spy 24
Race 4: (1) Cash Call 14
Race 5: (6) Travel In Style 44
Race 6: (8) Young Gun 45
Race 7: (2) Ikebana 37
Race 8: (6) Red Rascal 35
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (4) Dancing Princess 3
Race 2: (1) Global Pursuit 20
Race 3: (1) La Duchesse 5
Race 4: (6) The Bayou 68
Race 5: (5) Asiana 18
Race 6: (1) Mighty High 44 (NAP*)
Race 7: (1) My Pal Al 67
Race 8: (9) That’s Life 45
Top rated winners last week included
Grandiflora won 36/1
Ficticious won 28/1
Royal Applause won 11/1
Seattle Oak won 31/4
Just Chaos won 113/20
Exclusive Quantity won 47/20
Irish Wonder Girl won 5/4
Jet Stream on 5/4
Notebook:-
Lone Survivor (S Kenny, Gauteng)
Second To None (Gareth Van Zyl, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 22nd October
Going Standard
Course Variant: 0,09s slow
1000m (2) Seattle Oak 56,70
1100m (1) Fairyinthemist 63,63
1300m (1) Royal Applause 76,05
1600m (1) Gift Of Gold 96,62
1900m (2) Rebel Baron 117,56
2200m (1) Making Miracles 135,41
Durbanville 23rd October
Penetrometer 19 – Going Good
CourseVariant: 0,43s slow
1250m (1) Hero’s Daughter 74,77
1400m (3) Zeb 83,51
1600m (1) Grandiflora 97,56
1900m (3) Kampala Campari 119,56
Vaal (inside) 23rd October
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,87s slow
1000m (2) All At Once 57,95
1400m (2) Cordillera 83,79
1600m (2) To The Regiment 97,85
1800m (2) Popsicle Toes 109,71
Greyville (turf) 24th October
Penetrometer 21 –Going Good
Course Variant: 1,81s slow
1000m (1) Fancifilly 60,92
1200m (2) Mutawaary 72,64
1400m (2) Royal Frost 84,94
1800m (1) Oratorina 114,26
2000m (1) Jet Stream 126,62
2400m (1) Top Classman 149,20
Vaal (inside) 25th October
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
Course Variant: 0,14s fast
1000m (1) Ficticious 57,08
1400m (4) Lone Survivor 81,79
1600m (2) Greenwood Drive 94,10
1800m (1) Ossetra 108,99
2400m (2) Goede Hoop 149,09
